The EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform

The EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed on 24 November 2017 and entered fully into force on 1 March 2021. It provides a framework for Armenia and the EU to work together to strengthen democracy, rule of law and human rights and includes legislative approximation in important sectors such as environment, energy, transport and consumer protection, etc.

An EU-Armenia Civil Society Platform (CSP) is established by virtue of the provisions of Article 366 of the CEPA. The CSP "shall be a forum to meet and exchange views for, and consist of representatives of civil society on the side of the European Union, including members of the European Economic and Social Committee, and representatives of civil-society organizations, networks and platform on the side of the Republic of Armenia, including the Eastern Partnership National Platform". Thus, the Platform complements the political bodies existing within the framework of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, and it allows civil society organisations from both sides to monitor the implementation process and prepare recommendations to the EU-Armenia Partnership Council and other relevant bodies both in Armenia as well as in the EU.

The CSP is made up of representatives, or members, of each of the sides, representing three sectors - trade unions, employers and other civil society organizations. On the EU side, it is made up of members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), elected by its competent bodies, plus representatives of major European organisations (Eurochambres, BusinessEurope, ITUC, ETUC, COPA and COGECA, Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum) representing civil society. On the Armenian side, it is made up of members representing employers (three members), trade unions (three members) and other civil society organisations (four members).